The Supreme Election Tribunal of Guatemala is taking an innovative approach to maintaining the integrity of elections by using blockchain technology and Bitcoin timestamping. A Guatemalan tech startup called Simple Proof partnered with Bitcoin developer Peter Todd’s tool OpenTimestamps to verify the authenticity of election documents. They created a cryptographic timestamp of key election data and embedded it into the Bitcoin blockchain, establishing an unalterable record of that information.
It uses a mathematical algorithm called a hash function to generate a unique fingerprint of the election data and store it on the Bitcoin blockchain. This creates a permanent, unchangeable record that proves when the data was created. OpenTimestamps can also detect any changes made to the data after timestamping by comparing the original hash to the current hash.
OpenTimestamps uses Merkle trees to store large election datasets in a streamlined way that won’t overload the blockchain. This is done by consolidating multiple pieces of information into a single hash, which is then stored in a single blockchain transaction.
In response to longstanding political corruption and election fraud in Guatemala, the Supreme Election Tribunal collaborated with blockchain company ITZ DATA to implement Simple Proof’s “Immutable Backup” system to prevent tampering with election documents. This provides citizens the ability to independently verify the integrity of election data, enhancing transparency.
While it doesn’t validate the accuracy of the data itself, it gives Guatemalans insight into the election process by letting them access and verify timestamp data for each tally sheet. The system demonstrated its effectiveness in Guatemala’s recent controversial presidential election by allowing independent verification that refuted false claims of fraud.
Using blockchain timestamping for elections could play an important role in protecting democratic processes beyond just financial transactions. Guatemala’s use of these tools serves as a model for other countries seeking transparent, accountable elections.
#Bitcoin #Blockchain #Elections #Transparency #Guatemala
